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The LBGT-friendly Velvet Rope invites revelers with open minds and refined tastes to enhance their evenings with the lounge's slate of fine wines, international cuisine, and elaborate entertainment in the form of go-go dancers and drag shows. Beneath the suffuse lighting of tulip chandeliers, the bustling main floor hosts a full bar, where 35 specialty martinis brim with creative ingredients—such as cookie-dough vodka and absinthe—while the private VIP loft accommodates dozens with a dedicated server, a private television, and plush furnishings for late-night pillow forts. Food and drink packages deck out special events, and the nightclub's calendar overflows with karaoke nights, drink specials, and live performances.

Sushi House offers a fresh new take on classic sushi and other great Asian dishes.
Your pals with special dietary considerations — including those who avoid fat, gluten, and animal products — will still find plenty of tasty and suitable items on the menu.
Sushi House also stocks a full bar with a variety of beers, wine, and cocktails to complement your meal.
Tots and tykes will be right at home at Sushi House with its kid-approved food and ambience.
Make it a VIP party and book a private room at Sushi House today!
Get online for free courtesy of Sushi House's wifi.
Sunny day plus appetite equals the perfect time to head to Sushi House.
To get seated fast on a weeknight, you may want to call ahead and make a reservation — after-work crowds can fill the place up.
It's time to take out your best dress and get ready for a beautiful meal.
Turn your living room into a five-star restaurant with takeout or delivery from Sushi House.
Sushi House can also cater your next party; call today for details.
Sushi House is a local eatery that serves up free parking.
Menu items at Sushi House tend to be mid-priced, so expect to plop down about $30 per person to dine here.
Sushi House accepts all major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.

Rose and Stanley Sacharski never meant to open a tiki bar. Their first watering hole, The Lucky Start on Fullerton and Lockwood, was a simple neighborhood tavern until some bamboo wall coverings inspired endless questions from customers: were they a tiki bar? By 1963, the Sacharskis decided their answer was yes, and let their young son pick a new name?Hala Kahiki?from a copy of Dennis the Menace Goes to Hawaii.
Now located inside a former greenhouse in River Grove, Hala Kahiki pours more than 100 tropical-themed cocktails, mingling rum with daiquiris and gin with tropical fruits. Hanging shells sway above the bamboo-lined bar, and rattan lampshades and cane chairs evoke the pleasures of an endless Hawaiian summer. Tables and chairs dot a spacious outdoor garden, and an on-site gift shop stocks Hawaiian shirts, leis, wood-hewn lamps, and several former cast members of Gilligan's Island.

Enjoy a large array of finger food at Forest View's Forest View Lounge, a local pub.
With no low-fat options served, come ready to eat your heart out.
Catch the game at Forest View Lounge, a local restaurant with TVs.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the beautiful weather during your meal at Forest View Lounge.
Forest View Lounge is a local restaurant that accommodates both large and small groups.
If you plan to hit the bar on a Friday or Saturday, it's best to fend off the crowds by calling ahead for a reservation.
Keep it casual at Forest View Lounge — the bar is laid-back and patrons dress accordingly.
If you're strapped for time, take out food from Forest View Lounge.
Forest View Lounge's diners can make use of nearby parking lots.
Super-savers will adore the low-prices at Forest View Lounge, too — meals there usually cost less than $15.
The only payment method that Forest View Lounge accepts is cash.

For a casual environment and scrumptious American food, stop by Underpass Restaurant and Lounge.
The menu doesn't include any low-fat items, so set aside some extra calories for your visit.
You can also catch the latest scores on the TVs in the bar.
Host your next casual meeting at Underpass Restaurant and Lounge, a local restaurant with affordable wifi.
Take your meal to the next level on the patio at Underpass Restaurant and Lounge.
Underpass Restaurant and Lounge is well-known for being able to seat large parties.
Amp up your evening with some music — live bands or a DJ often perform here.
Don't be shy — step out on the restaurant dance floor and soak up the sound of live music.
Be sure to call for a reservation if the restaurant is part of your weekend plans — it can get crowded on Fridays and Saturdays.
Or, take your grub to go.
Take the comfort of your own home and add great grub from Underpass Restaurant and Lounge to create the perfect night.
At Underpass Restaurant and Lounge, you can find nearby options for both street and lot parking.
Store your bike safely at one of the main bike racks near Underpass Restaurant and Lounge.
It's not the cheapest, it's not the most expensive, but it is the most delicious. Come to Underpass Restaurant and Lounge for a great bite.

Casa De Montecristo stocks its ample humidors and regal environs with row after row of tasty smoking tobacco. A La Sirena Trident summons piquancy from the depths of the broadleaf ($9.95), while an E.P. Carrillo Elite hits only the most select flavor notes ($11.95). Casa De Montecristo also boasts a free VIP membership lounge, which can be accessed by calling ahead. The spacious smoking cavern teems with plush amenities such as leather chairs and private humidified lockers. Kick back in the bar and tune in to a flat-screen television, or recline in the theater room for a movie, game, or cigar-smoking tutorial led by Groucho Marx.

The Daily Show alum is sort of an unconventional comedian. His audience would do well to act a little differently, too.
You can never really be sure what to expect from comedian Demetri Martin. Ever since the Yale alum debuted his standup on Comedy Central, he’s gone on to contribute to late-night television (The Daily Show, Late Night with Conan O’Brien), act in movies (Taking Woodstock, Contagion), and write a New York Times–bestselling book.
Martin’s brand of comedy is as unexpected as his career arc. Though we have no idea what he’ll do when he walks out onstage, we can help you prepare by telling you seven things you should avoid doing.
1. Don’t bring your grandmother.
It’s not that Martin’s jokes are terribly blue, but his style definitely embraces a younger demographic. As the former Senior Youth Correspondent for The Daily Show, Martin was tasked with covering hot and fresh topics like MySpace. Years later, his standup continues to strike a chord with 20-somethings.
2. Don’t expect long bits.
Even when he’s not delivering his signature one-liners (“Sex is the leading cause of people”), Martin’s jokes tend to be punchy and brief. No long-winded setups here.
3. Don’t expect only comedy.
A multi-instrumentalist, Martin is known for playing the harmonica, guitar, ukulele, glockenspiel, and keyboard during his sets. There’s often background music, too.
4. Don’t bring a signboard, unless it’s got a palindrome on it.
Martin’s something of a master of the palindrome. He even wrote a completely reversible 500-word passage for his book, This Is a Book. So if you’re planning on making a signboard to hold up, you’d better bring your A-game. We recommend a supportive “U R FUNNY Y-NUFF, R U?”.
5. Don’t anticipate subtlety.
The man has made an album called These Are Jokes, written a book called This Is a Book, and performed standup in a T-shirt that says “COMEDY.” It’s safe to say he’s pretty straightforward.
6. Don’t doodle on your notepad.
Doodling is certainly a great way to pass time, but Martin will probably incorporate some of his drawing-pad jokes into his routine, thus relieving you of the need to scribble. Plus, you’re at a comedy show. It’s just rude.
7. Don’t bring peanuts.
He’s terribly, terribly allergic to peanuts.
Demetri Martin performs two sets at Lincoln Hall on Thursday, April 24. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased for the 7 p.m. show or the 10 p.m. show.
Illustration courtesy of Demetri Martin.

The Food Film Festival has what sounds like a simple goal: screen movies about food, then let viewers taste what they see on the screen. The actual logistics of that are more complicated.
“It’s running a food fest and a film fest at the same time,” jokes Executive Producer Seth Unger, ”which nobody in their right mind would do.”
The fest begins in Chicago this week, and each event will feature four to 11 food-themed films, selected with a corresponding menu in mind. During or after each screening, Seth and his staff coordinate serving 200-250 guests delicacies such as compost cookies flown in from NYC’s Momofuku Milk Bar (Wednesday night) or an authentic low country shrimp boil (Saturday night). No finger foods here—each night is designed to be a complete, multi-course meal.
“We make sure everyone goes home full,” Unger said.
We caught up with him to get a taste of things to come.
Click here for tickets and more information about the fest, which runs from November 20–23 at Kendall College in River West.
HOW IS THE FOOD SERVED?
SETH: There are different service styles we use depending on what the needs are. Sometimes we serve it to you right in your seat; sometimes it’s at the after-party.
[When food is served in the theater,] you’re trying to serve a hot dish of food to a specific frame in a film. When the audience sees it onscreen, and they say, “Wow! I wonder what that tastes like,” boom! You want to hand it to them right there.
What you would see there is very choreographed, almost like a ballet. Imagine people sitting in the theater. You’ll see two lines of servers walk down the aisle. They’ll pass the tray down the aisle. Each person takes one and passes it down. Then they pick up the tray. If it works right, it happens in 20 seconds. You don’t even know they were there.
WHAT ARE THE AFTER-PARTIES LIKE?
SETH: We do the after-party right down the hall [from the theater] in this room they have called the Skyline, which has big windows. You can see the city, and it’s a big party space. And we have a DJ who travels with us from New York, DJ Keili from Brooklyn. She comes with us and spins at every event.
HOW ARE THE FILMS SELECTED?
SETH: The competition is open to films of any length…The only requirement to be in the festival is that it has to be about food or drink. There’s a selection committee that picks the films that will be screened, and then the judging panel chooses the awardees… It is true that most of the event ended up being a series of shorts. Just because when you’re trying to give people many different flavors, you want different things.
HOW DID THE FEST GET STARTED?
SETH: George Motz, who you might know—he’s a host on the Travel Channel—he made a film way back about hamburgers called Hamburger America. It did really well. There was a book deal, and he quickly became—without even wanting to—America’s hamburger expert. That’s how he ended up with the Travel Channel show [Burger Land, which premiered in April of this year].
When they were going to premiere the film [in 2004], they said, “Why don’t we make some of the hamburgers from the film?” And they did that, and they served them while [people] were watching. Everybody flipped out. And they said, “This is great! why stop at burgers? Let’s do everything.” And that’s how it was born.
WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH KENDALL COLLEGE?
SETH: Kendall College is an amazing partner. We’ve used venues all over the country, even in Europe, and nobody treats us like Kendall does. They have their whole facilities and staff, and they love having us there. And we love them.
SETH’S RECS
Food: The original ramen burger by Keizo Shimamoto
Film pairing: Biting into the Ramen Burger (Wednesday)
The idea is simple: a burger with two disks of compressed ramen noodles in lieu of buns. Ever since Keizo Shimamoto premiered his ramen burger in Williamsburg this summer, the trendy dish has spawned countless imitations, such as the version served up by Buzz Bar (1935 W. Irving Park Rd.) in North Center. Still, there’s nothing that tastes as good as an original. “When he went to L.A. for the first time, there’s this great video of thousands of people who lined up in the cold to wait 6-8 hours to get one,” Seth said.
Food: Compost cookies from Momofuku Milk Bar
Film pairing: What Goes Into a Compost Cookie? (Wednesday)
“Another thing you can’t get in Chicago on any other night,” Seth said. Christina Tosi, the pastry chef at the dessert-shop outpost of NYC’s Momofuku, sent over some of her compost cookies, the pastry featured in the documentary of the same name.
Drink: Speculoos milkshake from Edzo’s Burger Shop (Wednesday)
This off-menu special from the Evanston/Lincoln Park eatery incorporates a Dutch delicacy: speculoos, a sweet cookie that’s ground up into a peanut-butter-like paste. “It’s a cult favorite,” Seth said.
Drink: Maison Chapoutier Wines (Thursday)
Film pairing: Fac et Spera (Hope and Do)
Though the festival gets many wine-themed film submissions every year, Seth said very few of them make the grade. This “amazing” documentary about Rhône Valley vintner Michel Chapoutier was the exception to the rule. “They’re sending all of his wines to be featured throughout the night,” Seth said. “Anybody who’s into wine is really going to dig this one.” David Rosengarten, former host of the Food Network’s award-winning show Taste, will emcee the event.
The Chicago Food Film Festival takes place Wednesday, November 20 through Saturday, November 23 at Kendall College. Single-event tickets cost $55–$95; a festival-wide VIP pass costs $285.
Photo courtesy of Food Film Festival